Benedict XVI: 'God told me to resign'

Benedict XVI has said God told him to resign as pope and that his successor's 'charisma' reflected this divine inspiration, Catholic news agency Zenit has reported, reports AFP on Yahoo7.

'God told me' to step down, the Pope EMeritus was quoted as saying by a visitor who met him recently, Zenit said in a report in Italian media on Wednesday.

The 86-year-old Benedict XVI, who has retained his papal name, now lives in a former monastery inside the Vatican walls and has made no public appearances. He only very rarely meets with visitors, Zenit said.

Benedict was quoted by Zenit as saying he had a 'mystical experience' in which he received a divine message that fostered the 'absolute desire' to be with God in private prayer.

He was also quoted as saying that the 'charisma' shown by successor Pope Francis showed that the resignation was indeed 'God's will.'